🍛 Dal chawal
Dal chawal is the everyday pairing of yellow lentil dal and steamed basmati rice. The lentils are simmered with turmeric until soft, then finished with a tempering of cumin, garlic and onion fried in ghee. Mild, soft and comforting, it is eaten at home across South Asia, often with pickle, salad or a simple vegetable side.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g yellow lentils (toor or moong dal), rinsed
- 300 g basmati rice, rinsed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Salt
- Chopped cilantro to serve
Method
- Simmer the lentils with the turmeric and 900 ml water for 25–30 minutes until soft; whisk lightly and season with salt.
- Cook the rice in 600 ml salted water, covered, on low heat for 12–15 minutes and rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat the ghee, fry the cumin seeds for 20 seconds, then add the onion and garlic and cook until golden.
- Pour the tempering over the dal, sprinkle with cilantro and serve over the rice.
How to make it lighter
- 1 tsp ghee in the tempering is enough to carry the flavour.
- Serve more dal and less rice on the plate.
- Add a salad of cucumber, tomato and onion on the side.
History
Lentils and rice have been staple foods on the Indian subcontinent for many centuries, and dal chawal is one of the most common home meals in India, Pakistan and Nepal today.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →